This invention relates to food products, and particularly to a method of providing a quick, accurate determination of the amount of cellulose in a food product such as grated or shredded cheese, during production of the food product.
Cellulosic ingredients are commonly used in the food industry for a number of functionalities. In the dairy industry, cellulose (both powdered and microcrystalline) is widely used as an anti-caking agent to prevent the re-agglomeration of shredded and grated cheeses. Typical levels of usage are between only about 0.5 to 2.0 weight percent based on the weight of the cheese. The cellulose is thus widely dispersed in the food matrix so as to normally he visually undetected by the consumer, to not detract from the appearance of the food.
Although this application of cellulose is not new, it was not until recently that the quantification of cellulose in cheese has gained importance. In the past, the amount of cellulose present in these products was estimated based on the amount of cellulose usage per unit time (indirect method). A more direct method is also available using prior art. However, this Total Dietary Fiber method (published by the Association of Official and Analytical Chemists and the American Association of Cereal Chemists) is tedious and slow (takes a minimum of two days before results can be obtained). In addition, most plant quality control/assurance laboratories do not have the expertise or the capability to run this test.
The importance of a rapid method to quantify the amount of cellulose anti-caking agent in cheeses is driven by the dairy manufacturers' desire for consistency and quality in their products. By being able to rapidly determine the amount of cellulose in the cheese going through their processing line, timely adjustments can be made to the cellulose applicators to obtain the desired level of addition.